Nature Goes Inside the World’s Largest ‘Mosquito Factory’ — Here’s the Buzz

Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz

Nature, Published online: 05 September 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02857-4Facility aims to stop deadly viruses such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya through the release of disease-fighting mosquitoes.

Grown in a lab, released in the wild: Laos unleashes over 130 million disease-reducing mosquitoes after global dengue surge

More than 130 million disease-reducing mosquitoes are being released in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, after cases of dengue hit a record high globally in 2024 at over 14.4 million – more than double the previous record of 2023 [1], with children at greater risk of severe dengue illness. The lab-grown mosquitoes carry a naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia, which reduces the insect’s ability to transmit deadly viruses to people, decrea…